Imagine a tiny mouse with the power to stop burly construction workers dead in their tracks, just by stepping out of its burrow.

Such is the clout of the salt marsh harvest mouse, an endangered rodent that makes its home near a deserted nine-acre peninsula in East Palo Alto known as Cooley Landing — once home to a regional dump, and later a boat-repair facility.

The city plans to convert that land into a park for hiking, picnicking and educational tours. But it can’t do that without mitigating potential problems for the harvest mouse during construction. Continue Reading >>